Books by Jo
Doggy Ditties
A collection of poems, rhymes and limericks celebrating dogs from every letter of the alphabet. Lots of rhyming and silliness, and great illustrations by Myles Lawford.
Spot all the dogs from the book, on the last page.
Out of Print
A finalist in the Children's Choice New Zealand Book Awards in 2015.
The Whale and the Snapper
Kindness and courage flow two ways in this sweet-as, under-the-sea Kiwi adaptation of the traditional tale, ‘The Lion and the Mouse’.
A positive, heart warming story touching about helping one another, and the benefits of listening to your mother!
Illustrated by Richard Hoit.
Out of Print - Bilingual version now available... scroll down!
The Adventures of Kaia the Kororā
A young penguin goes on a journey with her grandfather, and meets different creatures that live in the ocean.
Spot the hazards on each page.
Illustrated by Myles Lawford.
Also printed in Te Reo Maori
Both versions are Out of Print
T is for Tuatara
An alphabet book with a difference. Meet some peculiar creatures from all over the world. Each letter of the alphabet features an unusual critter and has a fun rhyme or limerick to go with it.
There are facts about each animal, and even more facts at the end of the book. See if you know your animal facts with a wee quiz, then get some hints and tips on writing poetry at the very end.
Illustrated by Deborah Hinde
$20.00 plus postage.
Jungle Jazz
Jungle Jazz is a warm and humorous story about friendship, about working together to find a solution to what appears to be impossible. Gorgeously illustrated, the lush jungle foliage and deep warm tones used in the illustrations are a perfect backdrop for the band and the animals.
The back cover flap reveals a surprise board game of Snakes and Ladders, perfect for kids to practice their counting and arithmetic.
$20.00 plus postage.
Wētāpunga - the biggest wētā in the world - https://www.nzbooklovers.co.nz/post/w%C4%93t%C4%81punga-the-biggest-w%C4%93t%C4%81-in-the-world-by-jo-van-dam
$20.00 plus postage
The bilingual children's book The Whale and the Snapper / Te Tohorā me te Tāmure was published by Scholastic New Zealand in February 2026. Written by Jo van Dam and illustrated by Richard Hoit, this abridged te reo Māori and English edition adapts Aesop's classic fable of the lion and the mouse into a Kiwi underwater setting. $20.00 plus postage
Jungle Jazz
Jungle Jazz is a warm and humorous story about friendship, about working together to find a solution to what appears to be impossible. Gorgeously illustrated, the lush jungle foliage and deep warm tones used in the illustrations are a perfect backdrop for the band and the animals.
The back cover flap reveals a surprise board game of Snakes and Ladders, perfect for kids to practice their counting and arithmetic.
$20.00 plus postage.
Wētāpunga - the biggest wētā in the world - https://www.nzbooklovers.co.nz/post/w%C4%93t%C4%81punga-the-biggest-w%C4%93t%C4%81-in-the-world-by-jo-van-dam
$20.00 plus postage
Extra bits
After 'Doggy Ditties from A to Z' was published, Jo decided to write a 'Kitty Ditties from A to Z' and 'Verse from the Surf from A to Z'.
She had lots of fun, but the publishers didn't go for them.... here are a couple of poems from the manuscripts.
Pp Panther.
There once was a Panther called Megan,
Who stopped eating meat, became vegan.
She doesn't eat muscles,
For her it's just brussels,
A peculiar Panther called Megan.
Zz Zebrafish.
Zander, Mr Zebrafish, has blue and golden stripes.
Zoe, Mrs Zebrafish, has stripes of black and white.
Zed and Zane and Zeek, their kids,
have neither black nor blue...
nor white nor gold,
no stripes at all...
Their kids are quite see-through!
